Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-08-27

must certainly be awarded first blood
6guratively speaking.
He pretended not to notice these
taunts of the live stock and, walking up
to the door, reached out to knock. But
he didn't know that the dog Ind made
rule against 1t. But he had-and
enforced it personally.
The dog didn't say anything but made
vicious and tinwelcome spring at his
throat. Our friend Withdrew his throat
from the immediate scene of hostilities.
But the dog followed. He tried backing
up and kicking at the brute-part of the
time with both feet-but he never hit
him and once the dog bit through the
toe of his boot. So he concluded to run.
There wasn't good prospect across the
prairie with his own house the only one
in sight, so he started around the widows.
1t was ten feet by twelve in size, and as
he ran very close to it it necessitated
some very short turns. He went around
three or four times aud the dog followed.
He gained on the animal little on the
turns but lost along the sides. Occasion
ally the white-and yellow cur took bite
at his legs and once he leaped up on his
back and knocked off his hat.
About this time Mr.. Barton executed a
wild leap and scrambled up on the low,
aper-covered roof of the shack. The
dog didn't seem to be able to follow
though he acted as if he was going to be
very good on the watch. But that was
an improvement. And though he was
still subject to the taunts and jeers of the
live stock and domestic fowls, he never
theless felt much relieved. But the feel
was short-lived. The door opened and
the widow herself came out She wasn't
very large but her eyes were blacker thar
ever. And she had shotgun in her
hands.
'eWhat We doin' up'n the roof o. my
house?" she demanded with feaaful en-
phasis.
'Mis' Baxter" said the brave Mr.. Bar
ton, who had removed scores of objec-
tionable men from his claim and had
come down to see that the widow also
went, "Mis' Baxter, come over t. see
how ye were gittin' long an if there was
any 'sistance I could render ye. Haint
ye got no chain fer that dog?"
"Shut up bout that dogl Ye didn't
come fer no such thing-ye come to try
to make me git off'n this placei"
eye hain't goin' though, be ye9" he in
quired anxiously, and at the same time
automatically and guardedly.
''No, sir, l hain't!
II knowed ye wasn't knowed it all
the time Say, what ye goin' t. do bout
that dogl"
"shut up sayl Now ye ever goin'
to mosey round mere bout this claim
'gin?"
'No marm."
'"f iAt We down air We goin' to make
tracks up cross the quarter to yer own
rancho"
eyes marm."
"Tige, come here! Now Mr.. Barker,
you slide down off'n that roof an don't
ye git into the rain bar'l either, an then
scoot fer home or this dog'll chew ye up
till yen feel 'sif the Methodist Church
had fell onter you!"
"All right, widder good byl' and as
Mr.. Phil Barton, professional bad man,
late of-etc., etc, took long steps
through the tall prairie grass it seemed to
him as if the COW, and the calf, and the
dog, and even the pigs and chickens were
all involved in one immense, malicious,
triumphant grin.
After he arrived home he sat down to
think it Overland count the wounds the
dog had inflicted. 81 reckon when she
says she's goin' T. stay that she means it, "
he soliloquized. "Wall, blamed if don't
rather like her stylel She's got the git
up an git, now tell ye."
He remained very closely at home for
several days. A dozen times day he
would look around at his lonely room,
sigh and then say: ''Blamed if don't
like her style" And at last his horse
brush and the potato kettle were again
brought into service for other than their
regular uses and once more he started
forth TO visit the widow Baxter-this
time on a much more decided mission.
He approached her house from the rear
and very cautiously. He had visions Of
the dog This guardian was nowhere
visible, however, and even the cow
seemed to intuitively understand the
nature Of his visit and only shifted the
air inquiringly, after the manner of the
COW. Still he knew he was treading on
a sleeping volcano. But he had plan.
IIa orork 80. 4hro,,vh tho lonO